Visitors to Gozo this weekend should schedule a visit to the infiorata in Għarb tomorrow, as the village celebrates the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady toSt Elizabeth.

The word infiorata literally means ‘decorated with flowers’ and this is exactly how the paintings created for the occasion are made – using flower petals, earth and sometimes even beans or wood cuttings.

This year’s themes focus on the 10th anniversary of the setting up of the Għarb club of Melbourne, the Year of Mercy, the Mater Misericordiae and a rose which will be in remembrance of one of the young volunteers of the infiorata.

Once the 11am band march ends tomorrow afternoon, a number of volunteers, young and old, will gather on the church parvis to start works on the decorations.

Designs must be finished by the time the procession with the statue starts, at 7.30pm.

This year, during the feast, the Għarb local council, who is a member of the international association of the infioratori, will host the president of the association, Vincenta Pallares Castello from Spain, and the secretary of the association, Valentina Mammana from Italy.

* * * *
The local council thanks artist Michael Bajada who prepared the design of this year’s infiorata, Mosè Caruana for the coordination and all volunteers who annually give a helping hand in the setting up of the infiorata.